Dueco Inc., the largest privately owned provider of Terex Utilities and Terex Hi-Ranger bucket trucks, digger derricks and cranes for the utility market in the country, has delivered two trucks equipped with Odyne plug-in hybrid systems to We Energies, which serves Wisconsin and parts of Michigan.

The Odyne systems are now operating on a Terex TC55 line construction truck mounted on an IHC chassis, which will be doing everyday line work, and a Terex SC45 trouble truck, which will be doing more driving and service work. Both trucks are equipped with diagnostics to measure the performance of the hybrid trucks relative to others in the We Energies fleet.

The Odyne hybrid power system features proprietary and patented hybrid technology combining electric power conversion, power control and energy storage technology. An Odyne plug-in hybrid system lowers fuel consumption by up to 50% compared to traditional diesel or gasoline engines, reduces emissions and provides quieter operation at the work site. The Odyne system is the only one approved to interface with Allison Transmission’s fully-automatic transmissions and uses a rugged Remy electric motor in parallel with the existing drivetrain to provide launch assist and regenerative braking.

At the work site, the Odyne plug-in hybrid system, featuring Johnson Controls’ lithium-ion battery packs, powers typical work site applications with the engine off for a significantly longer time than other large truck hybrid systems.

The trucks are part of a 292 vehicle, $45.4 million U.S. Department of Energy, Electric Power Research Institute, and South Coast Air Quality Management District of California award. Odyne is developing and deploying about120 plug-in hybrid systems for trucks for companies and governmental entities throughout North America as part of the award. The trucks delivered with Odyne plug-in hybrid systems feature advanced grid capabilities to charge the hybrid batteries at the most opportune time, reducing charging costs and excess demand on the utility grid.

“We are proud to be adding these hybrid trucks to our fleet,” noted Jewel Currie, We Energies director of transportation, health and safety. “They’ll help us lower our fuel costs and reduce emissions. Plus, our employees and customers will notice how much quieter they are in the field.”